David & Goliath Talk - Missionary Work

At the heart of ancient Palestine is the region known as the Shephelah, a series of ridges and valleys connection the Judaean Mountains. It is an area of breathtaking beauty, home to vineyards and wheat fields and forests of sycamore.  But it is also of great strategic importance.

            Over the centuries, numerous battles have been fought for control of the region because of the valleys rising from the Mediterranean plain offer those on the coast a clear path to the cities of Hebron, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem. The most important valley is Aijalon, in the north.  But the most storied is the Elah valley.   The Elah is where the Knights of the Crusades battled for their historic quest in the twelfth century.  BUT a thousand years before that…there was an equally famous battle recorded in the Old Testament. It was where unexperienced and untested Kingdom of Israel squared off against the armies of the Philistines.

            The Philistines were from Crete.  They were a seafaring people who had moved to Palestine and settled along the coast. The Israelites were clustered in the mountains, under the leadership of King Saul.  The Philistines began moving east, winding their way up stream along the floor of the Elah Valley.  Their goal was to capture the mountain ridge near Bethlehem and split Saul’s kingdom in two.  In contrast to the fledgling Israelites, the Philistines were battle-tested and dangerous, and the sworn enemies of the Israelites. Alarmed, King Saul gathered his men and hastened down the mountains to conform them.

            The Philistines set up camp along the southern ridge of the Elah.  The Israelites pitches their tents on the other side, along the northern ridge, which left the two armies looking across the ravine at each other.  Neither dared to move.  To attack mean descending down the hill and then making the suicidal climb up the enemy’s ridge to the other side conceding any advantage.  Finally, the Philistines had enough.  They sent their greatest warrior down into the valley to resolve the deadlock…one on one.

            He was a giant, recorded as 6 foot 9, wearing a bronze helmet and full body armor.  He carried a javelin, a spear and a sword.  An attendant came with him, carrying a large shield.  The giant faced the Israelites and shouted out: “Choose you a man and let him come down to me! If he prevails in battle against me and strike me down, we shall be slaves to you.  But if I prevail and strike him down, you will be slaves to us and serve us.”

            In the Israelite camp, no one moved.  Who could win against such a terrifying opponent?  Then a shepherd boy who had come down the Bethlehem to bring food to his brothers stepped forward and volunteered.  

King Saul objected: “You cannot go against the Philistine to do battle with him, for you are a lad and he is a man of war from his youth.”  But the shepherd was adamant.  He had faced more ferocious opponents than this.

He argued.  “When the lion or the bear would come and carry off a sheep from the heard, I would go after him and strike him down and rescue it from his clutches.”  Saul had no other options.  He relented, and the shepherd boy ran down to hill toward the giant standing in the valley. 

“Come to me, that I may give your flesh to the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the field, “ the giant cried out when he saw his feeble opponent approach.  Thus began one the history’s most famous battles.  The giant’s name was Goliath.  The shepherd boy’s name was David.

            I have always loved this story it’s been used over and over in telling the Cinderella story of over-coming the greatest of odds.  But are we looking at this story the way it is intended?  Sure, a tiny boy beating a massive brut.  King Saul…his court…his executive panel of aids, the entire Israelite army, and for sure the challengers across the valley were believed he had no chance of victory.  But David never questioned his abilities or his resolve.  

            On a side note…everyone plays rock, paper, and scissors.  Rock beats scissors, scissors beat paper, and of course paper defeats rock…

In war, there is a similar kind of warriors that we can compare to rock paper scissors…. Cavalry, infantry, and artillery.  The first…cavalry are armed men on horseback or chariots. The second, infantry are foot soldiers wearing armor, carrying swords and shields.  Lastly were projectile warriors or what we call artillery…archers and more importantly in our story slingers.  Similar to Rock, paper, scissors…one warrior has a substantial tactical advantage over the other.  They balanced each other…thus making every battle strategic.

            With their long spears and armor, infantry could stand up to Cavalry.  Cavalry could, in turn, defeat projectile warriors, because the horses moved to quickly for artillery to take proper aim.  And projectile warriors where deadly against infantry, because a big lumbering soldier, weighed down with armor was a sitting duck for a slinger who was launching projectiles from up to 200 yards away.

            Goliath was heavy infantry, and it was his intention to go against an Israelite in similar battle…” come to me…” he said.  King Saul even had flawed thinking, he tried to armor David with a sword thinking that David would fight in a similar fashion.  Infantry and against infantry.  He assumed that David was going to contend with Goliath hand to hand.

            David, however, had no intention of honoring the ritual of single combat.  He tells King Saul that he has killed bears and lions as a shepherd.  

            There are so many lessons and teachings that come from this story.  One being that is shared by David’s testimony, “David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.”  Trusting in the Lord and his plan for him.  Another lesson, every person, every situation has a weakness and strength that has an opposition.  We can never have 100% advantage…sometimes we are the rock, often the paper, and other times…we are scissors, and we don’t know that our rival has?

            I would like to focus my message on knowing that we are blessed and need to rely on the experiences that we have prepare us for challenges ahead.  After facing lions and bears, a large many with no mobility and sword was trivial compared to the ferocious animals attacking his flock?

            Who is our Goliath? And what experiences have we had in our life that remind us…” he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine?”

            In my message our Goliath is missionary work.  We are standing on the ridge looking out against the landscape frozen with indecision and no plan.  Wondering if we can make a difference in the Lords work and looking around waiting for someone else to step up. The story of David and Goliath is mentioned almost every championship series or tournament and new legends and fairytales are reborn from overwhelming obstacles …and same with those saints that have shared their testimony and light with others.  Asks those recent converts about the missionary or member that introduced them to the gospel how they feel about them?  Praises, praises and praises.

            I’m going to break down a few proactive things we can do…has a member missionary you are either a rock, paper, or scissors…. or if you will…you are cavalry, infantry or artillery.  We are no longer allowed to sit on the sidelines.

            Cavalry – you are mobile and talking with everyone and anyone that will listen.  Every time you talk with someone there is an opportunity to share your testimony.  It’s easy for you to move from one invitation to the next with little resistance or effect on your personal ego.  Honestly, most of us don’t feel comfortable yet with this type of approach…it works.  That’s what our full-time missionaries do, they go and go and don’t stop.

            Are you infantry…you need to study the field and the people that you approach knowing how to engage?  If you are, do you have a list of people that you are thinking about, praying about them and the approach? Is it on a sticky note on your bathroom mirror or refrigerator? Do you think about them and the opportunity to engage in a conversation?  Do you interact with them enough to earn the right to talk about your faith?

            Then there is artillery…are you passive and would rather avoid potential differences or conflict?  There is a plan for you.  Have you invited them to visit the Christmas lights at the Mesa Temple?  Listened to the choirs that are preforming?  Has there be an invitation to the Easter Pageant?  Or have you taking the path similar to Ammon, serve with all devotion and dedication until they enquire about your belief system?  Remember King Lamoni’s experience…a simple shepherd that completed all assigned tasks earning not only trust, but he said, “Yea, I will believe all thy words.”

            We all have weakness and strengths…know what your talents are and how they fit into missionary work.  There is a path and plan for you to be active in sharing the gospel.  You are never finished with the work of brings souls to Christ.  Most of us have no resistance with doing temple work but helping those that are still living…it’s a struggle.  Know that you have gone through much more difficult things in your life that sharing the gospel.  You will survive and the Lord will aid you…and if needed, he will deliver you.

            I want to share with my unique testimony…I wrote this down for a missionary friend that is currently serving in England. Understanding what I believe in, what I know to be true, and what I hope for is journey, some parts worth repeating multiple time to really know what I want and what I need. 

            A testimony is a process of wiring your system on how you will act when your belief system is tested and challenged.  The challenge is understanding that you have hardware and software…some things are locked in, and others that be removed or rewritten.  I hope that you use the next 23 months to understand that your testimony will be tested at some point. Your entire belief system will be challenged at some point…or more realistically, multiple times throughout your life.  It might be self-destroying if your belief system is not tethered down to the right anchors.  What you believe in is more than what you say, it’s what others think of your and what they believe you stand up for.  It’s what most of your conversations are based on and how you deliver it.  It’s about what your passions are invested in.  I hope that you get to know other’s testimonies and you grow yours…you will love those people the most where you share your beliefs and testimony, and they share it back with you.  That being said…

I believe in the college playoff system…

I believe in opening your Christmas presents on Christmas Day and not Christmas Eve.

I believed in love at first site as long as you are in the right light…

I believe in the curveball, breaking ball, and knuckle ball…

I believe in the Chevy…if they built their truck on the rock…that’s what I’ll drive.

I believe that you will be much happier eating healthy food that tastes good over junk food that’s delicious…

I believe that a budget is a budget because you don’t budge

I believe in equal pay for equal work

I believe in the gold standard

I believe that the market and not the government should determine success…

I believe in teaching your kids to fear is the worst thing you can do, Godly fear is more about love

I believe in great communication is just as much as saying the right thing as much as refraining from saying the wrong thing.

I believe in your dreams will reveal where your heart is and where your deepest desires lay.

I believe that hard work is import for the first half of the game, and smart work is vital to in the second half of the game.

I believe in the American Dream, and that dream takes prayer, sweat, blood, getting up early, working late, and having a coach or mentor to help you out.

I believe that you will always be happier if you choose to be agreeable over critical…if someone is in the wrong, find praise first, educate second, and add more praise to end it…

I believe there is more than enough success stories in the world, miracles are happening everywhere, be brave enough to recognize where they come from.

I believe in knowledge faith prayer and studying things out in your mind.  Not that I do it, but to make it anchor…write it down!

I believe that truth can be found in all religions and places…

I believe that unless you have a calling or career where you are asked to judge other…don’t do it.

I believe in Joseph Smith, I have never had a moment in my adult life where I have ever questioned any aspects of his experiences that are recorded in sacred scripture.

I believe in the Book of Mormon and the Bible are necessary to study, read, ponder, and gain a full knowledge of the stores, teachings, and principles so that I can deal with the pitfalls of this life and arm yourself with the truths to overcome the fears.

I believe that the restored church is exactly that, restored but truths, teachings and principles are still be revealed to us every day through the scriptures and the called leaders of this church.  We are an organization of flawed humans, and I will never allow myself to have them be between me and the gospel that offers salvation.

I believe that we have callings anchored with the power of the priesthood that allows us to be more than we are and help those that are in need.

I believe in physical, emotional, and more than anything…spiritual sacrifice…It is necessary and healthy for true happiness.

I believe in love, that is has a cost associated with it; to have it, to keep it and to offer it.

I believe that men and women can only be happy when they are in the service of each other…

I believe in music; it heals the soul and keeps the feet moving.

I believe there is evil, and it will come in sheep’s clothing.

I believe there is always a way.  Satan will then you there is an excuse, Christ has given us a way.

I believe that Judas acted with the intentions of doing good but blinded on that he though Jesus really was supposed to do and be.

I believe that true power is honey, honesty, and courage.

I believe that we all have a path.

I believe that we will all be happy and comfortable in the kingdom that we earn.

I will leave this final thought…Our brother and Savior…I believe in him.  His words, his stories, his teachings…his kindness to overlook my fears and shortcomings.  His ability to know my value to our Father and offer himself so I can return.  I know that he has the ability to remove my fears, my concerns, my inconsistencies in faith and increase my light.  

I believe him when he says he loves me.

I hope that you find him even more than you already know him now.  We all have times where we step away from him, but this time…the time of your mission will determine how fare and how long you do.

Build your faith and stay close to him.

These are the things I believe in and leave them with you, in the name of our brother and Savior Jesus Christ.

Amen.